The
Angelic Choir is as follows:
Seraphim
Cherubim
Thrones
Dominions
Virtues
Powers
Principalities
Archangels
Angels
Obviously,
the amount of angels within each rank increases as one goes down the list.
An angel's class is determined by several factors, although the first attribute
examined is the wings. Seraphim have six. Cherubim have four,
but they also have eyes all over their wings. Thrones have four plain
wings. Cadmiel and Tialiel are both thrones. Most angels are
required to enlist in the angelic military, although the highest positions
usually go to thrones (Cadmiel is a General--Tialiel is a lieutenant, although
he could be a general if he were more fond of fighting), being that they
are trained from birth to be in the military (dispensing justice is part
of their job description). Seraphim are the only class excluded from
this rule, although they will join in a battle if necessary.
Every Sunday,
angels are expected (not really required, but to not do so is severely
frowned on) to spend at least one hour singing. Seraphim usually sing all
day, beginning at midnight and continuing for the next 24 hours.
Metatron is the only Seraphim excluded, being that he hasn't got a voice.
Heaven is divided
into two districts, one residential, one business. The business district
is lined with enormous, tall, non-descript white buildings, and the residential
district actually looks much the same. The main difference between
the two is that the windows in the
residential
district might have nice curtains on them or something.
As stated,
many angels serve in the military, fighting holy wars, so this is the occupation
of a good chunk of the population. The others serve in a variety
of positions: some are involved with watching and caring for living humans
(these are guardian angels), some
are involved
with monitoring the personal heavens of dead souls, and some are involved
in the maintenance of the society. Maintenance can mean anything from policing
rebellious angels to simply keeping everything white.
'Unemployment'
doesn't really exist, but the hierarchy restricts certain classifications
from certain positions. But angels are often just naturally more
inclined to want to do one thing or another, i.e., most thrones just want
to be part of the military. The society is led by the Seraphim, with
Metatron being the most important since he has the most direct link to
God. But the police do a good job of making sure that the Seraphim
don't have to interfere very much.
God is, naturally,
the most important force in Heaven, but He is too much for even angels
to comprehend. Thus access to Him is extremely limited (like the
rest of angelic society XB). Essentially, God is a telephone in an
office that is always locked. The door will only unlock for a very
good reason, but as you may be able to tell this puts God at a limited
capacity. Hence Metatron, the only angel able to handle His Divine
Presence.
It's a heavily
regulated (thanks to the Law of Predetermination) and organized society
and place, and things seem to run rather efficiently. But lately
turmoil has been increasing...
